What We Do: Events
© VA Falconers Association
The Virginia Falconers’ Association holds three events at the same time each year: Summer Picnic; Harrisonburg Field Meet; Winchester Field Meet. Non-member guests and their families that attend the Field Meets will be treated to a “Hawk Talk” and flight demo, but can no longer accompany groups in the field unless specifically invited by a Regular or Associate Member of the VFA. Unfortunately, our groups have become unmanageable at Field Meets, making our generous landowners unhappy with granting permissions for hunting parties of 40 or more. The Picnic, however, is open to guests, but it is a good idea to contact a member prior to attending. Watch for specific details about these events loaded onto the Come Play with Us page as plans become formalized.
The Picnic is a social and fundraising event held on the third Saturday of August. Location is to be determined.
The Picnic is a time for us to show off new birds, get advice from our peers, meet new people, link apprentice wanna-be’s to potential sponsors, catch up on news happening over the long moult-summer, and raise funds for club activities. We hold an art show including judging, compete against each other for specific awards including Best Bird, share a meal to which we all contribute, and auction off donated falconry-related items to support (primarily) our annual journal and other community outreach and environmental support needs.
The Harrisonburg Meet is held on the third weekend of January, and includes a public Q&A/Hawk Talk and flight demo, then members and invited guests only hunting parties. Saturday is the primary day, and includes: group photo in the early AM; Public Hawk Talk & Flight Demo; Members dividing up for morning hunting parties; individual lunch along the way; and afternoon hunting parties. A dutch-treat group dinner for Regular & Associate Members and their invited guests highlights the best flights of the day, and game pins are awarded to those handlers whose birds catch prey at the meet. For the schedule and news about upcoming events please go to our NEWS page!
The Winchester Meet is a repeat of what happens at Harrisonburg, but is held on the third weekend of February each year.
For information about occasional events where VFA members and their birds do demonstrations or educational presentations for groups, please click here.
